The modelery: a collaborative web based repository

Software development processes are known to produce a large set of artifacts such as models, code and documentation. Keeping track of these artifacts without supporting tools is not easy, and making them available to others can be even harder. Standard version control systems are not able to solve this issue. More than keeping track of versions, a system to help organize and make artifacts available in meaningful ways is needed. In this paper we review a number of alternative systems, and present the requirements and the implementation of a collaborative web repository which we developed to solve this issue.Project LATiCES: Languages And Tools for Critical rEal-time Systems (Ref. NORTE-07-0124-FEDER-000062) is financed by the North Portugal Regional Operational Programme (ON.2 - O Novo Norte), under the National Strategic Reference Framework (NSRF), through the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), and by national funds, through the Portuguese funding agency, Fundacão para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT)

Proton-antiproton annihilation into massive leptons

We extend previous calculations of polarization observables for the annihilation reaction $\bar p +p\to \ell^{-}+\ell^{+}$ to the case of heavy leptons, such as the $\tau$-lepton. We consider the case when the beam and/or the target are polarized, as well as the polarization of the outgoing leptons. We give the dependence of the unpolarized cross section, angular asymmetry, and various polarization observables on the relevant kinematical variables in the center of mass and in the laboratory system, with particular attention to the effect of the mass induced terms.Comment: 25 pages, 8 figure

Looking inside the black box : a theory-based process evaluation alongside a randomised controlled trial of printed educational materials (the Ontario printed educational message, OPEM) to improve referral and prescribing practices in primary care in Ontario, Canada

Background: Randomised controlled trials of implementation strategies tell us whether (or not) an intervention results in changes in professional behaviour but little about the causal mechanisms that produce any change. Theory-based process evaluations collect data on theoretical constructs alongside randomised trials to explore possible causal mechanisms and effect modifiers. This is similar to measuring intermediate endpoints in clinical trials to further understand the biological basis of any observed effects (for example, measuring lipid profiles alongside trials of lipid lowering drugs where the primary endpoint could be reduction in vascular related deaths). This study protocol describes a theory-based process evaluation alongside the Ontario Printed Educational Message (OPEM) trial. We hypothesize that the OPEM interventions are most likely to operate through changes in physicians' behavioural intentions due to improved attitudes or subjective norms with little or no change in perceived behavioural control. We will test this hypothesis using a well-validated social cognition model, the theory of planned behaviour (TPB) that incorporates these constructs. Methods/design: We will develop theory-based surveys using standard methods based upon the TPB for the second and third replications, and survey a subsample of Ontario family physicians from each arm of the trial two months before and six months after the dissemination of the index edition of informed, the evidence based newsletter used for the interventions. In the third replication, our study will converge with the "TRY-ME" protocol (a second study conducted alongside the OPEM trial), in which the content of educational messages was constructed using both standard methods and methods informed by psychological theory. We will modify Dillman's total design method to maximise response rates. Preliminary analyses will initially assess the internal reliability of the measures and use regression to explore the relationships between predictor and dependent variable (intention to advise diabetic patients to have annual retinopathy screening and to prescribe thiazide diuretics for first line treatment of uncomplicated hypertension). We will then compare groups using methods appropriate for comparing independent samples to determine whether there have been changes in the predicted constructs (attitudes, subjective norms, or intentions) across the study groups as hypothesised, and will assess the convergence between the process evaluation results and the main trial results.The OPEM trial and OPEM process evaluation are funded by the Canadian Institute of Health Research (CIHR). The OPEM process evaluation study was developed as part of the CIHR funded interdisciplinary capacity enhancement team KT-ICEBeRG. Gaston Godin, Jeremy Grimshaw and France Légaré hold Canada Research Chairs. Louise Lemyre holds an R.S. McLaughlin Research Chair

Male breast cancer

Male breast cancer (MBC) is a rare disease representing less than 1% of all breast cancers (BC) and less than 1% of cancers in men. Age at presentation is mostly in the late 60s. MBC is recognized as an estrogen-driven disease, specifically related to hyperestrogenism. About 20% of MBC patients have family history for BC. Mutations in BRCA1 and, predominantly, BRCA2, account for approximately 10% of MBC cases. Because of its rarity, MBC is often compared with female BC (FBC). Based on age-frequency distribution, age-specific incidence rate patterns and prognostic factors profiles, MBC is considered similar to late-onset, postmenopausal estrogen/progesterone receptor positive (ER+/PR+) FBC. However, clinical and pathological characteristics of MBC do not exactly overlap FBC. Compared with FBC, MBC has been reported to occur later in life, present at a higher stage, and display lower histologic grade, with a higher proportion of ER+ and PR+ tumors. Although rare, MBC remains a substantial cause for morbidity and mortality in men, probably because of its occurrence in advanced age and delayed diagnosis. Diagnosis and treatment of MBC generally is similar to that of FBC. Men tend to be treated with mastectomy rather than breast-conserving surgery. The backbone of adjuvant therapy or palliative treatment for advanced disease is endocrine, mostly tamoxifen. Use of FBC-based therapy led to the observation that treatment outcomes for MBC are worse and that survival rates for MBC do not improve like FBC. These different outcomes may suggest a non-appropriate utilization of treatments and that different underlying pathogenetic mechanisms may exist between male and female BC

Political Regimes and Sovereign Credit Risk in Europe, 1750-1913

This article uses a new panel data set to perform a statistical analysis of political regimes and sovereign credit risk in Europe from 1750 to 1913. Old Regime polities typically suffered from fiscal fragmentation and absolutist rule. By the start of World War I, however, many such countries had centralized institutions and limited government. Panel regressions indicate that centralized and?or limited regimes were associated with significant improvements in credit risk relative to fragmented and absolutist ones. Structural break tests also reveal close relationships between major turning points in yield series and political transformations

Pharmacological profile of a potent, efficacious fentanyl derivative in rhesus monkeys

The recent synthesis of fentanyl derivatives, some of which appear to have novel profiles of pharmacological effects, has provided compelling evidence that μ opioid efficacy might be altered systematically by modifications in the parent compound fentanyl. In the present study a new 4-(heteroanilido)-piperidine, compound 28, was studied for its effects in rhesus monkeys. In self-administration studies compound 28 maintained rates of lever pressing similar to those maintained by alfentanil; the reinforcing effects of compound 28 were attenuated by the opioid antagonist quadazocine. In drug discrimination studies compound 28 did not substitute for the κ agonist ethylketocyclazocine and did substitute for the μ agonist alfentanil. In morphine-treated subjects discriminating between saline and naltrexone, compound 28 did not substitute for naltrexone; however, in morphine-abstinent subjects compound 28 reversed naltrexone lever responding. Moreover, this discriminative stimulus effect in morphine-abstinent subjects was antagonized by naltrexone and by quadazocine in a manner consistent with μ receptor mediation. Compound 28 also was an effective analgesic in a warm-water, tail-withdrawal procedure and it decreased markedly respiratory function. The analgesic effects as well as the respiratory depressant effects of compound 28 were antagonized by quadazocine. Together, these results show compound 28 to be a potent, efficacious μ agonist of similar potency to alfentanil. Large differences in apparent efficacy at μ receptors between compound 28 and another compound in this series (mirfentanil), clearly demonstrate that, within this chemical family, small chemical changes can confer significant differences in pharmacologic effect.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/46340/1/213_2005_Article_BF02245876.pd

Constraints on spin observables in antiproton-proton to antiLambda-Lambda

It is recalled that spin-observables in the strangeness-exchange reaction $\bar{p}{p} \to \bar{\Lambda}{\Lambda}$ are not independent but are related to each other by simple algebraic relations. This provides constraints on the existing data on polarization and spin-correlation coefficients, and also on the forthcoming data obtained using a polarized proton target.Comment: RevTex, 9 page

Experimental determination of the complete spin structure for anti-proton + proton -> anti-\Lambda + \Lambda at anti-proton beam momentum of 1.637 GeV/c

The reaction anti-proton + proton -> anti-\Lambda + \Lambda -> anti-proton + \pi^+ + proton + \pi^- has been measured with high statistics at anti-proton beam momentum of 1.637 GeV/c. The use of a transversely-polarized frozen-spin target combined with the self-analyzing property of \Lambda/anti-\Lambda decay allows access to unprecedented information on the spin structure of the interaction. The most general spin-scattering matrix can be written in terms of eleven real parameters for each bin of scattering angle, each of these parameters is determined with reasonable precision. From these results all conceivable spin-correlations are determined with inherent self-consistency. Good agreement is found with the few previously existing measurements of spin observables in anti-proton + proton -> anti-\Lambda + \Lambda near this energy. Existing theoretical models do not give good predictions for those spin-observables that had not been previously measured.Comment: To be published in Phys. Rev. C. Tables of results (i.e. Ref. 24) are available at http://www-meg.phys.cmu.edu/~bquinn/ps185_pub/results.tab 24 pages, 16 figure